Chain lubricator



Jan. 5, 1960 D. HURLEY CHAIN LUBRICATOR Filed April 22, 1957 INVENTOR.

United States Patent I LUBRICATOR Dennis Hurley, Milledgeville, Ill.,' assi'gnor to National Dairy Products Corporation, a corporation of Delaware The present invention relates to alubricating apparatus. It relates more particularly to an apparatus for applyinga soap lubricant to a chain.

The conveying of articles and the transmission of power by chain are widely used. The use of chains has progressed rapidly, so that at the present time there are many types and designs. Conveyor and power chains frequently operate at high speed and heavy load, and these severej'operating conditions make severe demands on the manufacturer of the chain and the user. The manufacturer ofthe chain must produce the best chain possible and in order to. keep the chain running at peak efiiciency and to lengthen the life of the chain, the user must do his best to keep the chain clean and well lubricated.

' Soap is a very good lubricant to usefor lubricating chains. ,Soap is preferred to oil as a lubricant in some applications. For example, a conveyor chain transporting milk cans is preferably lubricated by soap since lubrieating oils tend to stain and discolor the cans thereby rendering them unpleasant to the eye. Soap is a preferred lubricant in such an application because the soap does not discolorthe can and any soap onthe cans may, of course, readily be washed off. v

In order to achieve good distribution of the soap over the surfaces of a chain, the-soap is usually applied to the chain as an aqueous solution which flows freely over all of the chain surfaces. A soap solution may be applied by dripping the solution onto the chain. Such method, however, is not entirely satisfactory since the soap solution is not applied uniformly to the chain. The apparatus of the present inventionwill efficiently applya soap lubricant to a chain to be lubricated.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a soap lubricating apparatus. It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for applying a soap lubricant to a chain. A further object of the invention is to provide an apparams for applying a soap lubricant to a chain which is relatively simple to construct, easy to operate and easy to maintain.

Further objectsand advantages of'the present invention-will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of the invention;

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is' a side elevational view, partly in section, of a chain'lubricating apparatus embodying various features of the invention; and

Figure'2 is an end elevational view, partly in section, of

the chain lubricating apparatus taken along line 22 of v Figure'l.

As 'ha's been pointed out, the present invention provides an apparatus 3 for applying a soap lubricant to a chain. The apparatus includes a main tank 5 having a substantially horizontal perforate plate or other substantially flat foraminous means 9 positioned above the bottom thereof. I to introduce water into the main tank 5' and suitable air Suitable water piping 11 is provided piping 13 is provided to introduce air into a bottom section of the main tank 5 under the perforate plate 9. An outlet conduit 15 is connected to an upper part of the tank above the water level. The outlet conduit 15 directs soap suds formed within the tank 5 to a chain to be lubricated.

In the operation of the apparatus, a gelatinous type of soap is first placed on the perforate plate after which water is introduced into the tank 5 until a predetermined level is reached, which is, above the perforate plate 9 and below the top of the tank 5. Air is then introduced into the main tank 5 under 'the perforate plate 9. The. air rises through the soap solution formed above the plate 9 forming soap bubbles or soap suds therein which are carried through suitable piping 15 which conveys the soap suds to a dispenser pipe 17. A chain 19 to be lubricated, which is represented in Figure 2 by dotted lines, is

drawn through the dispenser pipe 17 as soap suds are passing into the pipe thereby applying a coating of soap suds to the chain 19.

Although the apparatus described has particular utility for lubricating a chain, it is to be understood that the apparatusmay be used to apply a soap coating to other articles.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the specific apparatus 3 illustrated embodies various of the features of the invention. The illustrated apparatus 3 includes a generally rectangular, open topped, main tank 5 supported on suitable legs. The tank 5 has an outwardly extending flange 21 around its upper edge anda suitable tank cover plate 23 is provided so as to close the main tank 5. This cover plate 23 rests on the outwardly extending flange 21 and is clamped tightly thereto by bolt and nut fasteners 25. As will hereinafter become apparent, it is deisrable that no air or liquid leak out between the flange 21 and the cover plate 23 and, therefore, to insure a tight seal between these two members a suitable gasket 27 is provided therebetween. In order that the main tank 5 as well as an inner tank 7 may be easily inspected and so that a soap lubricant may be placed on the perforated plate 9, an opening is provided in the cover plate 23 and a suitable welding neck 29 is welded about this opening. During the operation of the apparatus, however, the opening is maintained closed and a suitable plug 31 is provided to snugly fit as by threading into the welding neck 29.

The main tank 5 has the inner tank 7 positioned therewithin. This inner tank 7 is illustrated in Fig. 1 as running for the entire length of the main tank so that the ends of the main tank 5 also are the ends of the inner tank 7. The inner tank 7, however, is not as wide as the main tank 5, as may be seen in Fig. 2, and the bottom 9 of the inner tank 7 is substantially above the bottom of the main tank 5. As may be seen from Fig. 2, the inner tank 7 also has a side in common with the main tank 5. Constructing the inner tank 7 so-that its ends are the same as the ends of the main tank 5 and so that it has one side in common with the main tank is merely for purposes of convenience and economy and the inner tank 7 may have sides and ends which are entirely independent of the main tank 5. The one independent vertical side wall of the inner tank 7 is preferably constructed of conventional solid sheet metal;

through the inner tank 7 over substantially the entire area of the bottom 9. In one commercial embodiment ofthe apparatus, a bottom plate of 16 gauge sheet metal was P ovided with inch diameter holes 10 and these holes were positioned on inch centers. The perforated bottom 9 rests on angle iron members 33 which are suitably secured as by welding in the main tank 5. The perforate bottom 9 therefore may be easily removed for-cleaning.

As hereinbefore stated, during operation of the apparatus, water and air are introduced into the main tank 5. The water, which may be at regular line temperature, from a suitable supply (not illustrated) is introduced into the tank through suitable piping 11 and this piping enters the main tank 5 in the upper half of the tank above the normal water level in the tank'5 and outside of the space occupied by the inner tank'7. It is desirable to maintain a relatively constant level of water in the tanks 5 and 7, which level is above the bottom 9 of the inner tank 7 and below the tops of the tanks 5 and 7, and, therefore, a control or float valve 35, which is illustrated within the tank 5, is connected in the water inlet piping 11. This control valve 35 is connected through a connecting rod 37 to astainless steel float 39. The float 39 controls the valve 35 so as to open the valve when the level -ofthe water in the tank 5, drops below a predetermined level and to close off the valve 35 when a predetermined maximum water level is reached. As may be seen in Fig. 2, since the inner tank 7 is constructed with a width less than the width of the main tank, the inlet piping may be brought into the main tank 5 in an upper part of the space between the tanks 5 and '7 and the float valve 35 and the float 39 may also operate in this space.

The air inlet piping-system 13 introduces air into a lower portion of the main tank 5 which is under the perforated bottom 9 of the inner tank 7. The pressure air from a suitable supply (not shown) passes through an air filter 41, a shut off valve 43 and an air pressure regulator 45 and the inlet air piping 13. The air filter 41 may be of the permanent blow type and is provided to remove any suspended foreign material from the pressure air stream. The shut ofl valve 43 may be any suitable type of shut off valve and is provided so that the source of pressure air may be closed off from the main tank when desired, for example when the apparatus is not in use. Since the source of pressure air (not shown) may not be maintained at a constant pressure, for example normal plant pressures fluctuate between 35 and 50 pounds per square inch, and since during the operation of the apparatus it is desirable to keep air flowing through the apparatus at a substantially steady predetermined rate, the air pressure regulator 45 is provided. This air pressure regulator 45 is of the type which provides a steady pressure at the discharge side of the regulator even though the pressure at the inlet side is fluctuating. The pressure air continues from the air pressure regulator 4-5 through the piping 13 into an air distribution means such ,as a manifold pipe 47. This manifold pipe 47 is positioned' in a lower portion of the main tank 5 below the perforated bottom 9 of the inner tank 7 and extends longitudinally and for substantially the entire length of the bottom 9. This manifold pipe 4-7 has a plurality of small holes 49 thereinwhich distributes the air passing out of the manifold pipe along the length'thereof. In one commercial embodiment of the invention, the manifold pipe was a 17 inches long, inch pipe having ten A inch holes on 1% inch centers therein. Therefore, as the pressure air is introduced into the manifold pipe 47 through the pipe 13, the air continuously escapes through the small holes 4-9 as fine-streams or jets of air. Since the manifold pipe 47 is positioned below the perforated bottom 9, the air released through the openings 49 is distributed along the underside of the bottom plate 9' and passed'upwardly through the holes in the perforated bottom 9 of the inner tank 7 and bubbles upwardly through the soap solution within the inner tank.

In order to permit air and soap foam formed within the inner tank 7 to pass out from the inner tank 7,'suitable outlet piping 15 which communicates with an upper part of the interior of the inner tank 7 is provided. This outlet piping 15 is of relatively large diameter so as to permit the even flow of the soap foam therethrough. The outlet piping 15 is connected to the cover plate 23 through a suitable welding neck 51 which is welded about an opening in the cover plate 23. The outlet piping 15 continues upwardly and then is directed horizontally away from the tank 5 so that a movingchain'to belubricated is kept clear of the tank 5. The outlet piping 15 then curves downwardly so as to pass the soap bubbles downwardly into the dispenser pipe 17. The dispenser pipe 17 is a short section of relatively large diameter pipe arranged with the axis horizontal and the outlet piping 15 protrudes through the wall of this dispenser pipe 17 so as to direct the soap suds into a selected portion.

In the operation of the apparatus the plug 31 is-removed from the welding neck 29 and a gelatinous type of soap, which may be the commercially available green soap ina glycerine solution, is put onto the perforated bottom 9 ofthe inner tank 7. The plug 31 is then replaced and water is' introduced into the main tank 5 through the water piping system 11. The water continues into the tank until the float 39 rises to a predetermined level at which time the float valve 35 is closed by the action of the float 39. The level of the water in the tanks 5 and 7 is maintained above the perforate bottom 9 but below the cover plate 23.. The water in the inner tank 7 mixes with the soaptherein forming a soap solution. Air is then introduced into the tank 5 through the air inlet piping'system 13 and the air bubbles which escape through the holes 49 in the manifold pipe 47 continue upwardly through the holes 10 in the perforate bottom 9 and bubble up through the soap solution within the inner tank, thereby creating soap suds or soap foam within the inner tank 7. The continuous supply of the air through the air piping system 13 forces the soap foam up through the outlet piping 15 which directs the soap foam into the dispenser pipe 17.

Since the air manifold pipe 47 is positioned below the perforated bottom 9 of the inner tank 7 and since the water is introduced into the main tank 5 at a position outside of the inner tank 7, the air and water mustpass upwardly through the openings 10 in the perforate bottom 9 of the inner tank to get into the inner tank 7. The water outside of the inner tank 7 is, therefore, maintained relatively free of soap so that soap bubbles are not formed in the main tank 5 outside of the inner tank. This permits the float 39 and control valve 35 in the space between the sides of the tanks 5 and 7 to operate without any substantial hindering effect caused by soap depositing on the valve.

The chain 19 to be lubricated by thesoap suds passes through the dispenser pipe 17 and as it passes therethrough a film of soap suds is applied to the chain thereby efliciently coating the chain with a soap lubricant. In order to guide the chain through the manifold pipe 17, a suitable channel iron 53 may be positioned within the dispenser pipe and a parallel channel iron 55 may be positioned outside of the dispenser pipe 17. The chain 19 is positioned so as to have, an upper run and a lower run, and the lower run of the chain rests on the lower channel iron- 53 and the upper run .of the chain rests on the upper channel iron 55. In such a manner the chain 19 may be drawn through the dispenser pipe 17 as it is resting on the lower channel iron 53. The lower run of the chain, however, may be directed through the dispenser pipe 17. Other methods of supporting the chain to pass through the dispenser pipe 17 and other shapes of dispensers, however, will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The apparatus illustrated is relatively simple to construct and easy to maintain and operate. The apparatus may be used when the air temperature is as low as 20 F. since the foam does not freeze rapidly at this temperature before it can be applied to the chain. This is an improvement over the conventional dripping method since the soap solution used in the old method would normally freeze at a temperature of about 30 F.

Although shown and described with respect to particular apparatus and material, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications might be made without departing from the principles of the disclosed invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying a soap lubricant foam to an article to be lubricated which comprises a substantially closed main tank, an inner tank positioned within said main tank and along one side thereof, said inner tank including means affording the introduction of soap therein and having a foraminous lower wall affording communication between said inner and main tanks, a water inlet conduit connected to said main tank adjacent the top thereof for admitting water therein for passage through said foraminous wall to said inner tank, an air inlet conduit connected to said main tank and extending below said foraminous lower wall for admitting pressure air into the body of water in said main tank for passage therewith through said foraminous wall into said inner tank, the common passage of water and air through said foraminous wall and resultant interaction with soap within said inner tank being effective to produce the soap foam, and an outlet conduit connected to the top portion of said inner tank for directing soap foam to the article to be lubricated.

2. Apparatus for applying a soap lubricant foam to an article to be lubricated which comprises a substantially closed main tank, an inner tank positioned within said main tank along one side thereof, said inner tank including means affording the introduction of soap therein and having a foraminous lower wall affording communication between said inner and main tanks, 2. water inlet conduit connected to said main tank adjacent the top thereof for admitting water therein for passage through said foraminous wall to said inner tank, a control valve located in said main tank for maintaining a liquid level in said inner and main tanks above said foraminous wall, an air inlet conduit connecting said main tank to a source of pressure air, air distribution means communicating with said air inlet and extending within said main tank below said forarninous wall, said air distribution means directing a plurality of flows of pressure air into the body of water in said main taink for upward passage therewith through said foraminous wall into said inner tank, the common passage of water and air through said foraminous wall and resultant interaction with soap within said inner tank being effective to produce the soap foam, and an outlet conduit connected to the top portion of said inner tank for directing soap foam to the article to be lubricated.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,194,358 Cecil et a1 Aug. 15, 1916 1,737,624 Thomson Dec. 3, 1929 1,753,429 Rice Apr. 8, 1930 1,796,165 Raust Mar. 10, 1931 2,603,534 Miller July 15, 1952 

1. APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A SOAP LUBRICANT FOAM TO AN ARTICLE TO BE LUBRICATED WHICH COMPRISES A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED MAIN TANK, AN INNER TANK POSITIONED WITHIN SAID MAIN TANK AND ALONG ONE SIDE THEREOF, SAID INNER TANK INCLUDING MEANS AFFORDING THE INTRODUCTION OF SOAP THEREIN AND HAVING AFORAMINOUS LOWER WALL AFFORDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID INNER AND MAIN TANKS, A WATER INLET CONDUIT CONNECTED TO SAID MAIN TANK ADJACENT THE TOP THEREOF FOR ADMITTING WATER THEREIN FOR PASSAGE THROUGH SAID FORAMINOUS WALL TO SAID INNER TANK, AN AIR INLET CONDUIT CONNECTED TO SAID MAIN TANK AND EXTENDING BELOW SAID FORAMINOUS LOWER WALL FOR ADMITTING PRESSURE AIR INTO THE BODY OF WATER IN SAID MAIN TANK FOR PASSAGE THEREWITH THROUGH SAID FORAMINOUS WALL INTO SAID INNER TANK, THE COMMON PASSAGE OF WATER AND AIR THROUGH 